By Aditya M
Latvian flag carrier Air Baltic has been forced to cancel nearly 5,000 flights for the summer season of 2025 due to ongoing issues with the engines powering its Airbus A220-300 fleet. The cancellations, affecting routes across Europe and beyond, are a direct result of unexpected delays and prolonged maintenance periods by engine supplier Pratt & Whitney.
Air Baltic's fleet primarily consists of the fuel-efficient Airbus A220-300, powered by Pratt & Whitney's PW1500G geared turbofan engines. These engines have faced a series of reliability and maintenance challenges since their introduction, leading to disruptions for airlines worldwide.
For Air Baltic, the situation has become critical. The airline has been informed by Pratt & Whitney that several of its A220-300 aircraft will remain grounded well into 2025 due to an engine shortage. This shortage stems from a combination of factors, including:
- Unexpected Delays: Pratt & Whitney has experienced significant delays in engine maintenance and repair, leaving Air Baltic without sufficient spare engines to maintain its operations.
- Prolonged Maintenance: Individual engines are taking longer than expected to be repaired and returned to service, further straining the airline's resources.
The engine issues have forced Air Baltic to take drastic measures:
- Flight Cancellations: The airline has been compelled to cancel nearly 4,670 flights across its network, impacting thousands of passengers.
- Route Cuts: Nineteen routes have been completely removed from the summer schedule, while frequencies on 21 other routes have been reduced.
- Operational Challenges: The reduced fleet availability has put a significant strain on Air Baltic's operations, leading to flight delays and disruptions.
AirBaltic has reported a loss of some 90 million euros for the first half of 2024, which has sparked some concern about the airline's performance. This situation has improved, with engines on new A220s lasting more than 3,000h.
Air Baltic is working closely with Pratt & Whitney to resolve the engine maintenance issues and restore its fleet's full operational capacity. However, the situation remains fluid, and further disruptions cannot be ruled out.
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